With the conclusion of the 2023 NFL Combine, it’s time to dive deep into these players based on position. Historically speaking, the Combine is the most important for running backs, so these performances have shaken up some rankings. Rankings will change throughout the off-season as we slowly reach the 2023 NFL Draft. Keep an eye on these players throughout the draft process, as they’ll change in our dynasty fantasy football rankings. 

After being up close to the action in Indianapolis, I’ll be sharing how the Combine has affected this 2023 running back class. Continue reading to see who the biggest risers and fallers were at this year’s Combine at the running back position. 

Risers

Jahmyr Gibbs

Coming into the NFL Combine, one of the biggest questions was regarding Jahmyr Gibbs and his size. BMI is an excellent indicator of what type of role you’ll be able to handle at the NFL level. The score you’re looking for is between 29.5 and 30.5. Gibbs came in at 5’9″ and 199 pounds.

This was unfortunate for Gibbs because if he had just weighed one pound more, he would check these boxes. Instead, he’s on the outside looking in. However, I’m not dropping him down my rankings for having a BMI of 29.4 rather than 29.5. What’s more important is that Gibbs’s testing numbers were fantastic. For a smaller running back, it’s crucial to have good speed. 

Gibbs showed the elite-level speed you’ve seen on tape, running a 4.36 40. Unfortunately, Gibbs’s size and vertical dropped his Raw Athletic Score (RAS), but he still ended up with a 7.97. Nevertheless, this weekend helped Gibbs draft stock as he measured decent size and showed off his elite speed. I expect Gibbs to go early in the 2nd Round, but I wouldn’t be shocked if he went to the Philadelphia Eagles at pick 30. 

Devon Achane

Devon Achane is not a guy I’m particularly in love with due to the volatility of his build. Even so, it’s hard to ignore that Achane is a great player who had a fantastic performance in Indianapolis. I’m not as high on Achane due to his size, as he weighed in at 5′ 8 1/2″ and 188 pounds. This is good for a BMI of 28.2, which isn’t great when aiming for 29.5. 

What separates Achane, however, is his top-tier speed. In the 40-yard dash, Achane ran a 4.32. That was good for the best time of all 2023 running backs and the seventh-best time in NFL Combine history. Achane then went on to test great in all his other measurements except his vertical, bringing his RAS to a 6.83. 

Before the weekend, Achane was projected to be a late 2nd Round pick. However, after showcasing his elite speed to these scouts, I expect him to move up to the mid-2nd Round of the 2023 NFL Draft.

Sean Tucker

Despite not running the 40-yard dash Sean Tucker was still able to boost his draft capital just by measuring in. This is simply because his speed was never in question. We know the former track star is fast, and he shows off that speed on tape. Right now, he is likely dealing with a minor injury and didn’t want to risk injuring it even more or underperforming because of it. 

Nonetheless, having Tucker prove that he can be a three-down back is crucial in a class full of small backs. He did just that at the Combine, measuring in at 5′ 9″ and 207 pounds, making his BMI 30.6.

This is phenomenal for a running back, showing that Tucker should be able to handle a three-down workload at the next level. Previously Tucker was a projected 4th Round pick, but I have him going in the 3rd Round due to his unique combination of size and speed. 

Roschon Johnson

I’ll be touching briefly on Roschon Johnson, even though he didn’t test amazing all around. However, he checked the boxes of size and quickness, which is exactly what we were looking for. Johnson measured in at 6′ 0″ and 219 pounds which was good for a BMI of 29.7. This is past the mark you’re looking for in a three-down back, so that’s fantastic news if you’re into analytics. 

Regarding his measurements, Johnson was very solid across the board. He was not particularly outstanding at anything except his 10-yard split, which was a 7.93. This great size and solid measurements put Johnson’s RAS at 8.13. Before the Combine, Johnson was seen as a late 4th round pick, but after checking these boxes down in Indianapolis, I expect him to shoot up to the early 4th round.  

Fallers

Tank Bigsby

Tank Bigsby is a player with a ton of potential coming out of college. That being said, he has many glaring concerns with his vision and other aspects of his game. NFL scouts were looking for Bigsby to show out at the Combine to make up for these concerns. However, he didn’t have a great start to the day. He measured in at 6’0″ and 210 pounds which looks great on the surface but makes for a 28.5 BMI. 

To make matters worse, Bigsby’s testing numbers were all just average. That was the case, besides his 10-second split, which was very good at a 1.54. On top of that, Bigsby ran a 4.56 40 and scored a 7.53 RAS which isn’t very impressive. 

The same story continued over to the drills where he looked average. For a player looking to boost their draft stock, this isn’t what you wanted to see. Being in the stadium, there was no buzz around Bigsby, which really wasn’t good for his draft stock.

At the moment, Bigsby is projected to go around the 4th Round of the NFL Draft. I don’t see Bigsby’s stock falling too much later than the late 4th, but this is bad news for a player in need of a good Combine to push him up draft boards. 

SaRodorick Thompson Jr.

A late-round player who was hoping to gain relevance in the Combine was SaRodorick Thompson Jr. He had a respectable year at Texas Tech and was projected to go near the end of the 6th to 7th Round. While this isn’t great to start with, there was still a chance that Thompson could see relevance at some point in his potential NFL career. Unfortunately, Thompson had a dreadful Combine. He measured in at 5′ 11 1/2″ and 207 pounds, which is equivalent to a 28.5 BMI.

Historically, that size isn’t quite enough to handle a three-down workload in the NFL. That is one of the selling points of a late-round running back. In terms of his measurements, things went badly for Thompson as he started off with a 4.67 40 time, which is not good at all. 

Things didn’t get any better as Thompson finished in the red for all his other measurables except the 10-second split. This resulted in a 3.71 RAS which is one of the lowest scores you can find. After this disappointing Combine performance, it’s looking like Thompson will become a UDFA. All in all, that means he will likely be a free agent in your dynasty fantasy football leagues in the future and maybe a Taxi Squad player. 

2023 NFL Combine Risers and Fallers: Quarterbacks

2023 Rookie Profiles

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